


The Seven-Year Itch

by catstiel-and-deano (Letmefall)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Castiel in the Bunker, Love Confession, M/M, Supportive Sam, seven years of profound bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 14:30:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4838735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letmefall/pseuds/catstiel-and-deano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean tries to get his shit together on September 18th.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Seven-Year Itch

As Dean woke up he knew exactly what he was about to do today. He had it all planned out days ago. He knew what he wanted to say, had all words stored in his mind ready to leave his mouth.

So when the eldest Winchester made his way out of his bedroom and walked down the hallway heading towards the bunker’s kitchen, he was up for almost everything.

One thing he did certainly not expect was his giant of a brother making coffee and humming to himself _If I ain’t got you_ along with the radio that was quietly sending waves of Alicia Key’s song to his ears.

“Morning, Sammy.” Dean greeted and tried to sound not as disappointed as he was that his plans might be shattered. “Why you’re still here? No work-out today?”

But Sam just continued to hum, obviously choosing to ignore his brother, and poured some coffee in Dean’s cup.

_Wait, what?! Dean’s cup?_

Smugly grinning, Sam handed the cup to Dean and gave him a - what Dean assumed - should be an encouraging pat on the back.

“I’m going on a _very_ long run today. So you can calm down and have your talk with Cas. If I’m back and you have chickened out again, I swear to God…”

That got a smile to Dean’s mouth because there’s no way and no excuse why he could push it along any longer.

Since three weeks, there was no darkness anymore. None of them were dying at the moment and Cas was cured of the spell Rowena had cast on him.

The only thing they were currently fighting were supernatural creatures with which they had dealt since they were able to hold a gun. Nothing they couldn’t handle. Nothing extraordinary.

The only thing you could call extraordinary was the fact that Cas was human – _again_. He had to extract his grace if he had wanted to survive Rowena’s spell and did not bother to put it back after his cure although he was free to do so. Something Dean did not understand in the slightest. But whenever Dean asked him about Cas not wanting to be an angel again, the black-haired man would just smile softly and say something like _“Weren’t you the one to teach me free will, Dean?”_ Then he would ditch Dean, leaving him dumbfounded.

“Don’t worry, Sammy.” Dean said. “Today is the best date to ruin my friendship with Cas. Seven years ago we’ve met and you know what they say about _the seven-year itch_. So I might as well screw everything up today, right?”

“You won’t screw up _anything_ , Dean.” Sam snorted and rolled his eyes trying to seem annoyed when in reality he was concerned as he knew his brother all too well. Every single time in the past seven years when he thought that finally Dean would made a move he had another poor excuse for not doing what he should do, what he wanted to do.

“Hope you’re right but would not bet on it.” Dean sighed and received another tap on his back. Dean shrugged his annoying brother off and took a seat at the table under the lingering gaze of Sam.

Right as Sam wanted to quote (approximately) Nicholas Sparks on him, there were steps on the floor.

So Cas was up and it was way too early for him as he normally slept in until Dean was serving lunch.

And yes, Dean panicked. He thought he had still four _fucking_ hours left to prepare himself for their conversation or rather for the moment when Cas would politely reject him and everything would get awkward between the two of them.

Sam grinned and gave Dean a thumb up.

_That little bitch._

Then Dean heard Sam shouting a _Good Morning, Cas_ down the hallway and Cas greeting a bit quieter with a yawning _Good Morning, Sam_ that brought a tiny smile back on Dean’s lips that grew to a quiet laughter as Cas entered the kitchen.

The former angel looked as if he had fallen out of his bed rather than standing up. He wore one of Dean’s faded Led Zeppelin shirts and his light grey jeans with a few small holes on its left trouser leg as he always would kneel down on one leg when he needed to while working in his little garden empire he had set up at the backyard. Furthermore his hair was – once again – a mess. A mess Dean would like to mess up even more.

Cas looked good and Dean couldn’t get enough of the sight – a weak spot Dean had discovered years ago, accepted a few months ago and allowed himself the luxury of enjoying it a couple of weeks ago.

“Hello Dean.”

Dean snapped out of his trance alike state. As he did so Cas was already seated next to him and sipping at his coffee, looking at Dean, thinking, maybe sensing that their world would be turned upside down once Dean had opened his mouth.

“Dean, I was thinking of something.” Cas began and looked with that worried gaze of him at Dean. “I have that feeling that you’re avoiding me recently. So I think I should go -“

_Oh no. No no no no. Just no._

Because, yes, it’s true that Dean had needed a little bit of distance from his friend but Cas’ conclusion was just wrong. He did not want Cas to leave. Like _ever_. He had simply needed some alone time in order to make sense of himself and the things he felt.

So Dean needed to interrupt his angel with a simple but nonetheless determined _**“No.”**_

“Dean, you - ” Cas tried once more but Dean wasn’t paying any attention to him and so the ex-angel fell silent, suddenly aware of the shift of atmosphere and the nervousness radiating from the hunter.

Something had changed but Cas couldn’t put his finger on it.

And then every single piece fell into place as Dean looked at him with that forest green eyes and began to speak.

“Remember when I said things like _Don’t ever change_ and _I need you_? Can you remember the time when I told you that _I did not leave you_ and later threw you out with a _You can’t stay here_?

I remember all of those times like that moments happened just yesterday.

I remember the last time I thought I’ve lost you when Rowena put that damn spell on you and the multiple times in the last years when I lost you for real. I recall as we saved the world as _Team Free Will_ and I can still feel the pain every moment when we got separated on our way.

But what I remember most is that I never apologized for acting like an idiot. I know that you want to get the hell out of here now and I promise to accept your decision since I was acting like a jerk and avoiding you… but please believe me that that was on me. I needed time to figure myself out.

And now I _am_ figured out. I…”

Dean was clenching is jaw, breathing heavily like it would hurt him physically to speak. He squinted his eyes and bit his upper lip.

“Dean, what’s going on?” Cas was asking as Dean seemed to have trouble continuing whatever he was going to say.

Sure, Cas was _hoping_ , but the former angel knew his hunter and so he tried his best to ignore his human heart that beat like a fluttering hummingbird.

“It’s the 18th of September, right?” Dean whispered and Cas nodded quietly, not wanting to interrupt Dean. “It’s been seven years since you gripped me tight and raised me from perdition. You – you remember that, don’t you?”

“How could I forget our anniversary, Dean?” Cas asked and put his head askew.

“You can’t just say - “

 _\- anniversary like you do_. Dean completed his started protest voiceless as he wanted to get his message through. But the hunter got lost in Cas’ soft gaze and there they were again: the doubts and the fears of not being good enough for a man like Cas. Nonetheless, he had promised Sam and himself to get through with it.

“Never mind. I just thought… You ever heard of _the seven-year itch_ where most of all relationships get fucked up? I… I don’t know… I was thinking maybe that’s the best moment when I will most likely ruin our friendship… I am… You know… _The L-word_ … I…”

And the motherfucker next to him was giggling. _What the hell?_

“Dammit, Cas!”

Until that point his planned out speech had almost come out like projected.

“I am sorry but really, Dean? _The L-word_?” Cas’ giggles turned to a knowingly and kind smile.

“That’s your issue? That I can’t say that I’m in love with you, you dork? Not about the fact that I _am_ in love with you? I - ”

Dean came to a stop when Cas took his hands and brought his knuckles to his lips.

Oh, he said it out loud.

“Why should it bother me, Dean? I love you, too.” Cas said matter-of-factly.

“You what? No, no, no! A few minutes ago you wanted to leave!” Dean objected and suddenly backed off.

The former angel frowned and sighed heavily after he figured out what Dean was talking about.

“I was suggesting to go _to Claire and take you with me_. You two seem to get along well and I was hoping that she would make use of her capabilities to set us up. I apologize if I’m sounding selfish but lately I was getting worried about our relationship and where we’re heading to.”

Still stunned beyond words, Dean was staring at Cas like he expected him to fly off anytime soon. But Cas’ didn’t want to leave and – _fuck_ – Cas loved him too.

“So that means we’re visiting Claire as a couple like in we’re in a romantic-slash-sexual-slash-exclusive relationship?”

“Yes, Dean. And it also means happy anniversary and congratulations on surviving the seven-year itch.”

“Oh shut up and c’mere, angel.”

Cas just smiled when Dean did what he wanted to do for a very long time: pull his angel closer and kiss him properly.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed yourself and thanks very much for reading :-)
> 
> You can visit me on tumblr:
> 
> http://catstiel-and-deano.tumblr.com


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